It is possible to use your pulse rate to determine the intensity of an exercise that you are doing. This is called heart rate training. There are five zones to this that your body will have to learn to work well at.
Zone one is the easiest and safest one. Any person with health problems or who is new to exercising should start with this level. It is achieved by doing a brisk walk. This zone is supposed to strengthen the heart and improve muscle mass. Additional benefits are that it reduces the risk for degenerative diseases, blood pressure, body fat, and cholesterol.
Level two requires you to job slowly. This step is also easy for most people and does not require a great deal of effort. Your body will begin learning to release more fat from its cells to be used as fuel for your muscles. This is why it is often called the fat burning level. Most of the calories that are burned during this level are fat calories.
Level four is normally done by running at an easy or slow pace. It is said to improve a person’s functional capacity and to increase the amount and size of the blood vessels that are produced. Lung capacity and respiratory rate will also benefit from this level. The more this level is done, the longer you will be able to exercise without becoming overtired.
Level four means that you are running faster and harder. This level will increase your heart rate. It will also force your muscles to function anaerobically. This means that they are not getting enough blood or oxygen. It is no ideal or wise to stay in this level for more than an hour at a time.
Level five means that you are running all out. This level is normally used with interval training and can only be sustained for short periods of time. When done too often of for too long of a period of time, it will hurt and you increase the risk of injury.
It is possible for everybody to use heart rate training with very little trouble. There is a level for anyone to be comfortable with and that they can do easily. It is also a good idea to discuss doing this with your doctor before you begin.
Learn more about the different levels of heart rate training in our guide to all you should know about Heart Rate Training .